Bringing project learning to forefront
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The document discusses the importance of active project learning and knowledge management in enhancing project outcomes and organizational capabilities. It emphasizes a paradigm shift from passive documentation to active strategies for collecting, analyzing, and sharing project learnings, proposing a framework for implementing these strategies as a defined project management knowledge area. The paper outlines various challenges faced in project learning, including data gathering, analysis, communication, and reusability of lessons learned.
Bringing project learning to forefront
- 1. Bringing Project Learning to Forefront Theme: Delivering Excellence through Project Management Author: Mr. Nitesh Shrivastava (LinkedIn)
- 2. Key words: Project Knowledge management, Active Learning, Passive Learning Tagging, Relevance Maps Abstract A project involves investment of considerable amount of time, money and energy. While the act of doing a project offers a big learning opportunity for stakeholders, the effectiveness with which these lessons are learned, recorded and utilized varies. Lessons learned are important organizational process asset inputs to project planning and management. While tons of project data are generated while managing project, if project lessons are not recorded actively and smartly, project managers often struggle to find relevant lessons and case studies when planning a new project. PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition mentions documentation and archival of lessons learned as a part of Organizational Process Asset updates but remains silent on how the lessons will be learned. With increasing complexity of projects being managed, quantity of data generated on projects increases manifolds and consequently learning may become complex and numerous. Thus a paradigm shift from passive documentation of lessons learned to and active approach to project knowledge management becomes imperative. This calls for an effective strategy to actively gather, analyze, categorize, document, retrieve and share project leanings. This paper proposes a framework for actively managing project learning by bringing learning into the forefront of project management. Like other knowledge areas, knowledge management processes also need to be planned, implemented, monitored and controlled and closed during the life cycle of a project/phase. This paper therefore puts forth a case to make knowledge management as a knowledge area.
- 3. Table of Contents Contents Key words: .......................................................................................................................................2 Abstract............................................................................................................................................2 Contents............................................................................................................................................3 History ..........................................................................................................................................4 Importance of learning .................................................................................................................4 Challenges in project learning .........................................................................................................5 1. Challenges in data gathering................................................................................................5 2. Challenges in data analysis..................................................................................................6 3. Challenges in drawing inferences.........................................................................................6 4. Challenges in communicating learnings:..............................................................................7 5. Challenges in reusing lessons..............................................................................................7 The learning process .......................................................................................................................7 Types of learning .............................................................................................................................8 Defining project learning approach..................................................................................................9 Plan Knowledge Management...................................................................................................10 Implement Knowledge Management plan .................................................................................13 Monitor and control learning ......................................................................................................15 Close Knowledge Management.................................................................................................15 Human element in project learning................................................................................................16 Conclusion .....................................................................................................................................16 References.......................................................................................................................................17
- 4. Introduction History History of learning can perhaps be traced back to prehistoric era when cave paintings first appeared. Lessons from hunting ‘projects’ were first documented on cave walls using rudimentary inks. Today when projects involve huge investment of time, economic and human resources and generate large volumes of data, learning and documentation become ever more important. Proper documentation improves the accessibility of project lessons across teams and organization and over long period of time. While some learning almost always happens on projects in the background, it is not always an active pursuit. The objective of this paper is to bring project learning to forefront of project activities. Importance of learning Learning eventually adds to the experience of project participants as individuals as well as of project teams and organization. It is important for different project participants in different ways. Table 1: Importance of learning Importance Project Team Members Project Team Organization Technical knowledge enhancement Personal skill improvement Reduction in planning effort Better risk identification and management. Improvement in confidence Capability enhancement Enhancement of Organizational Process Assets Marketability
- 5. • Technical knowledge enhancement: Project participants often encounter new problems while executing projects and find new and innovative ways to solve them. This enhances their technical knowledge. • Personal Skill improvement: On the job training equips project team members with new set of technical skills, managerial skills and communication skills. • Reduction in planning effort: Learnings if used wisely can be helpful in avoiding useless plan iterations and make project plans more effective be reducing number of planning iterations • Better risk identification and management: Project participants can imagine more risk situations if they have a prior experience of similar project(s). • Improvement in confidence: Individuals can complete project tasks more confidently if they have prior experience of similar tasks. • Capability enhancement: Organizations delve into pilot projects often at the cost of profitability to build technical and business capabilities in a certain technological domains or markets. • Enhancement of Organizational Process Assets. Learnings if documented properly add to the organization’s process assets and improve value of the organization. • Marketability: Organizations publish case studies and white papers on the basis of experience gathered on completed or ongoing projects. This improves their marketability in front of prospective customers. Challenges in projectlearning Challenges faced in project learning can broadly be categorized into 1. Challenges in data gathering Demobilization of human resources: When project team members leave early, they might not have documented lessons learnt and left. Thus their experience is never brought to table. Lessons Learnt documentation perceived as overburden: Documenting lessons learnt may not immediately benefit the work at hand and often demands time and energy out of hard pressed schedule of the project manager. Therefore such documentation tasks are outright ignored or delegated to junior resource who may not be the best person for documenting learning. Unknown Objectives: Individuals working on project often do not know what to learn. An organization might have undertaken a pilot project with a view to build capability, but if this intent is not communicated to project team members, learning opportunities are often overlooked by
- 6. team members. For example a construction company is exploring a new geographical location and needs to assess issues face with local contractors to engage with them in a manner conducive to future business growth. If this objective is not communicated to the project team, the team may not document these issues and a learning opportunity will be missed. Inadequate data generation: Data generated during project execution may not answer specific question as the reports were not tailored to answer these. For example if daily labor report does not include weather data, a correlation between temperature, humidity and productivity may not be studied. Data available in different format: For example daily labor report may contain labor strength on a construction site but may not provide task wise breakup. This report may not be suitable to study production rate of labor on a particular task. Intellectual Property issues: If prior permission is not taken from the owner of copyrighted material, such material may not be used for documenting lessons learnt. 2. Challenges in data analysis Data collected in incompatible media/formats: While data in spreadsheet is easy to analyze, sometimes it may be collected in hard copy format and transfer of data from hardcopy format to spreadsheet format may be laborious. Erroneous data/Reliability issues: If provided data may be used to assess compensation or legal liabilities, the providing agency may manipulate data before submission. Such data is not reliable and paints false picture. Capability issues: Resource deployed for data analysis is not capable for the task or proper tools have not been made available to her. Relevance of available data: Sometimes loads of data are collected but all of it may not be relevant for analysis. It becomes important to filter out irrelevant data for the purpose of analysis. 3. Challenges in drawing inferences Shortsightedness: Inferences drawn on a small set of data may be misleading. Bias: Bias is inevitable when subjectivity is involved in assessment. Performance assessment of vendors, qualitative assessment of risks etc. are areas where bias creeps in while drawing inferences.
- 7. 4. Challenges in communicating learnings: Availability of knowledge sharing platform: For easy access to project learning, project teams must have access to organization’s project library. Many organizations during the early stage of their development often do not have a knowledge sharing platform or a digital project library. This makes sharing of learnings among project teams difficult. Continuity of project teams: In projectized organization where attrition rate is high, all team members may move out of the organization when the team is disbanded. When a new team starts working on a similar project, they miss out on the firsthand experience that members of the previous team possess. Lack of collaboration among teams in an organization: Particularly in multi-national organization, there is often little to no communication between team working on similar projects in different countries. For example learnings of project team in Thailand may not be communicated to the team in India because of lack of interaction between them. 5. Challenges in reusing lessons Large data volume: When a large volume of data is available in an unorganized manner, useful data often remains buried under a pile of useless data. Data not accessible: Data was not properly stored and is therefore not available to project teams when needed. Irrelevant Data: Available data is not relevant to the intended use by project team. Context not clear/different context: Data was gathered in a different context and may not be used on current project directly. The learningprocess A typical learning process on a project is Learning >> Recording >> Utilizing lessons. While doing project work, the participants learn lessons which add to their skills and knowledge. When these lessons are recorded in a retrievable format and shared with the project team or the organization, it becomes project learning. These learnings are later shared with project teams and are utilized on projects. Projects offer still more learning opportunities and the cycle continues.
- 8. Typesof learning Learning can be classified into active vs passive depending upon the intention to learn. An active learning process is where a part of learning happens in planned manner with clearly defined learning objectives/outcomes. Plan >> Gather >> Analyze >> Categorize>> Document>> Retrieve>> Share project leanings. Plan: Define what is to be learnt and how. Gather: Gather data and make observations Analyze: Analyze data and convert it into concrete learning by drawing conclusion. Categorize: Categorize learning into different groups e.g. by package, knowledge area etc. to enable easy filtration and retrieval of required information. Document: Learnings are documented in the form of case studies or white papers or as data entries in a knowledge database. Retrieve: Retrieve the information from database for use on projects. Share: Share learning within the organization. Passive learning on the other hand is serendipitous. Novel or new experiences are a form of passive learning.
- 9. Table 2 Differences between active and passive learning approach Aspect Active Leaning Passive Learning Approach Planned Serendipitous Record Always recorded Individuals may not record learnings Structure Structured Random Accountability Yes No Objective Objectives are established No objectives defined Defining projectlearningapproach Today in this knowledge driven world, project knowledge management can be no less a knowledge area than knowledge areas described in PMBOK fifth edition. In fact acknowledging project knowledge management as a knowledge area guides our approach towards defining a learning approach on projects. Drawing parallels from process groups of other knowledge areas, project learning management process groups can be listed as 1. Plan knowledge management 2. Implement knowledge management plan. 3. Monitor and control learning 4. Close
- 10. Plan Knowledge Management Inputs Tools & Techniques Output Project charter Organizational Process Assets (Organization’s knowledge database) Enterprise environmental factors Questionnaire Data collection tools Data analysis tools Expert guidance Project Knowledge management Plan - Learning objectives - Data collection forms/templates - Knowledge Data structure - Data tags Inputs to Plan Knowledge Management Project Charter: Often when organizations take up pilot projects, broadly defined learning objectives are communicated to the project manager at the beginning of the project and can be documented in Project Charter. Organizational Process Assets: This includes company policies, Organization’s existing knowledge database, and Software tools. Enterprise environmental factors: These include skill level of project actors, intellectual property rights of project stakeholders.
- 11. Tools and techniques for planning knowledge management Questionnaire: What What is to be learnt? This question sets out the objectives of the learning effort. Why This question determines the relevance of a learning objective and justifies the time and efforts spent on learning. Who Who would lead the learning effort? A Responsibility Assignment Matrix can be prepared to answer this. When At which stage of the project would a particular learning effort be started? This questions establishes trigger points to initiate learning process. Where Where would learning come from? Identify tasks where data/ learning would be generated. How How would data be gathered? In which format would data be gathered for easy data analysis? How would information be categorized for easy retrieval? How would the documentation be done? Data collection tools and techniques: Electronic and paper forms can be used to collect data. Electronic forms often make sorting and categorization of data easier. Among electronic forms, cloud based forms are more effective in data gathering and organization. With the advent of Internet of Things, data would get generated automatically by various devices. Some of the most common data collection techniques used for collecting data are 1 • Interviews • Questionnaires and Surveys • Observations 1 https://cyfar.org/data-collection-techniques.(n.d.).
- 12. • Focus Groups • Ethnographies, Oral History, and Case Studies • Documents and Records Data analysis tools: These vary from generic spreadsheet applications to customized software solutions. Expert guidance: An expert or a person having prior experience of managing a similar project can help frame the right objectives for learning by answering the six questions asked in the questionnaire above. Output of Plan knowledge management process A Project Knowledge management plan is prepared which describes the following among other things. - learning objectives, -Responsibility Assignment Matrix around learning. - Knowledge data structure and Data tags. -Data collection forms, templates etc. - IT platform for data storage and analysis. - Motivation and rewards for learning. -Procedure for documenting passive learning -Change control procedure for Knowledge management plan
- 13. Implement Knowledge Management plan Inputs Tools & Techniques Output Knowledge Management Plan Organizational Process Assets (Organization’s knowledge database) Report Formats Tagging Relevance Mapping. Knowledge sharing forums Organization’s database platform Lessons Learnt Documents. Lessons learnt data entries. Organization’s knowledge database updates Knowledge dissemination Inputs to implement knowledge management plan Knowledge Management Plan: All learning (active and passive) should be in strict accordance with the approved knowledge management plan. Any deviations should be brought to the notice of PMO and change control procedure should be initiated. Organizational Process Assets (Organization’s knowledge database): This will be updated when lessons will be recorded. Report Formats: Most data is collected through Work Performance information reports and Work Performance Measurement reports. Therefore these reports may need to be customized to gather data in correct format. Tools & Techniques to implement knowledge management plan Tagging: An active learning process would generate numerous documents or entries. If a project manager has to quickly refer to lessons on a particular topic, she may not have the time to go through each and every document/entry. Therefore tagging lessons with tags like package name, area of learning etc. can help the project manager to filter out the necessary information in a short time. Tagging can be easily done on commercially available Office application software.
- 14. Relevance Mapping: Later during the life of an organization, available number data entries may become so humongous that filtering using tags would also list numerous entries. Therefore if relevance of a data entry to a particular tag is marked on a Likert scale, it becomes easier for the project manager to filter data to a comfortable degree of relevance and use the lessons on her project. A typical relevance map may look like Table 3.In order to follow consistent relevance mapping, it is necessary that relevance maps are reviewed and approved by subject matter experts in the PMO. Table 3 Example of relevancemap Tag -> Safety Value Engineering Electrical Engineering UPS Entry Isolation Transformer many not be needed of galvanic isolation is inbuilt in the UPS 3 1 2 1 Legend: 1 – Absolutely Relevant, 2- Relevant, 3-Moderately Relevant, 4- Irrelevant Knowledge sharing forums:Moderated Knowledge sharing forums enabling threaded discussion help in sharing of lessons among individuals and dissemination ofknowledge. Organization’s database platform: This is organization’s IT platform for recoding learnings. An example could be Microsoft SharePoint sites for Generic database. Output of Implement Knowledge Management plan Lessons learnt documents and data entries: Lessons learnt documents like technical and business case studies are prepared which often help the organizations to market their capabilities better. Organization’s knowledge database updates: Organization’s knowledge data base gets updated as a direct result of implementation of Knowledge Management Plan. Knowledge dissemination: Apart from enhancing knowledge database, knowledge sharing in formal and informal setups aids in experience sharing among individual and improves their ability to recall lessons.
- 15. Monitor and control learning Inputs Tools & Techniques Output Project Knowledge Management Plan Lessons Learnt Documents. Lessons learnt data entries. Organization’s knowledge database updates Review Organization’s database platform Verified Organization’s knowledge database updates Knowledge dissemination Learning process is monitored with Approved Project Knowledge Management Plan as a guiding document. Lessons learnt documents and lessons learnt data entries are reviewed by subject matter experts before being verified and suitable for use on projects. Knowledge sharing forums are moderated to keep discussions on track. Close Knowledge Management Inputs Tools & Techniques Output Project Knowledge Management Plan Lessons Learnt Documents. Lessons learnt data entries. Organization’s knowledge database updates Summarization Updated knowledge database. Lessons learnt session.
- 16. Since learning is a continuous process for an organization and it continues even after project has been completed, archival of lessons learnt is not recommended. Instead summarization of project data e.g. project cost, manpower consumption etc., and other such project parameters should be performed and communicated. Lesson learnt session involving a presentation by project team would help in sharing project experience of the project team with rest of the organization. Human elementin projectlearning Learning is a natural human process and individuals almost always learn while doing project tasks. But project learning requires documentation and sharing of knowledge. It is therefore important to build motivation into project learning process to encourage learning and sharing at project level for the benefit of the organization. Various ways of achieving this are 1. Incorporating learning objectives into performance metrics of individuals and projects 2. Exploiting human urge to share by providing opportunities for knowledge sharing e.g. paper presentation events, discussion forums etc. 3. Recognizing and rewarding best learnings. Conclusion Project learnings carry significant value to individuals as well as to organizations. Therefore it is necessary that organizations make effort to actively learn lessons from projects. A planned approach to project learning is more fruitful as it generates meaningful lessons which can be categorized, documented, retrieved and utilized on later projects, and thus brings the learning process to the forefront of project activities. With the ever increasing importance of knowledge in this digital age, knowledge management assumes greater importance in the scheme of project work and rightly deserves to be ascribed status of a Project Management Knowledge area.
- 17. References https://cyfar.org/data-collection-techniques.(n.d.). Bibliography Project Management Body of Knowledge (Fifth edition), Project Management Institute